A Favour for Charlie
by Rita Arabella Black
Summary: Charlie has a huge favor to ask of his big brother, Bill. For Katy.


**A/N: For Katy; I hope I did you proud. Rita**

"Remember the time you got that awful rash on your face and nobody would come near you?" Charlie asked his brother, Bill. "And I was the one who hand fed you because not even Mum wanted to look at your face?"

Bill smiled for a second then shook his head. "As I recall, you're the one who gave me the rash."

Charlie shrugged. "That's not really the point, is it? The point is I was the only one who saved you from starving to death."

"Okay, I'll give you that one. What's this about?" Bill crossed his arms across his chest.

It was so unlike Charlie to interrupt his summer holiday to visit his big brother in Egypt, who was interning at the Pyramids to hone his curse-breaking skills. Charlie hated Egypt; too hot for his liking and the desert made him uncomfortable. Allergies, he was told.

"And remember the time I saved your life?"

"Yeah, when you pushed me off the edge of the Cliffs of Mohr when we went on holiday to Ireland."

"That was totally an accident. But I did manage to grab you before you fell. Remember?"

"Uh huh." Bill looked at his brother. Charlie's upper lip was sweating and he kept wiping his hands on his robes. "Charlie? What's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing. Can't a brother visit his favorite brother without the other brother getting all suspicious and stuff?"

"If it were anyone else but you, maybe; come on, Charlie, spill it. What have you done?"

Charlie shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't done anything. And what about the time I introduced you to Esmeralda Huntington and you made out with her all summer and when her big brother came after you with the beater, didn't I zap him with the _Petrificus Totalu__s _curse?"

"Yeah, after you let it slip that she and I had spent the night in the Astronomy Tower."

"Okay, okay," Charlie shouted, backing away from his brother.

"Charlie, just tell me what is going on," Bill said.

He licked his lips nervously and let out a cleansing breath. "Since you owe me big time, I need you to do something for me. I never ask for anything-"

Bill snorted and Charlie looked at him. "Okay, so maybe I have asked you for a couple of favours in the past, but this is different. I will be your slave for life if you do this one little thing for me." When Bill didn't say anything, Charlie took a deep breath and said, "IneedyoutotellMumthatI'mgoingtoRomaniatostudydragons."

"What? What was that?" Bill asked. "A little slower, please."

Charlie blew out another breath. "If you told her, I know she wouldn't say no or have a stroke or something. She loves you, Bill, you're her favorite child."

"You want me to talk mum into giving you permission to go all the way to Romania to study dragons?"

Charlie nodded. "Yes."

Bill stared at Charlie. "Are you insane? We are talking about the same Molly Weasley, who, if I recall correctly once hexed you into the middle of next week when you threatened to run away to the Forbidden Forest to live with unicorns or the same Molly Weasley who feigned a heart attack when you mentioned that you wanted to join the traveling magical creature exhibit in Glasgow when you were nine."

"I'm going to go anyway, you know that. I just need Mum to accept it. I don't want her worrying about me."

Bill rolled his eyes. "Mum not worried? Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

Charlie laughed and then he got serious. "This is something I have to do. Dragons are my life, Bill. I don't want to have to choose between my family and my destiny. Please, you can make her see reason; make her understand," he pleaded.

"What makes you think I can talk her into anything?"

"Come on, Bill, you're the Golden Boy; you're the reason Mum didn't kill us years ago. You can talk her into anything. Please. Mum treats me like a baby."

He looked so earnest that Bill shook his head as he rolled his eyes. "Oh, all right, but you're going to owe me big time."

Charlie grinned. "Thanks, mate. I'll never forget this. I'll name a new dragon species after you."

"You'd better come up with something better than that," Bill said, smiling.

"I'll be best man at your wedding," Charlie promised.

"Yeah, right, like I'll ever get married," Bill said.

"I know, but just in case." Charlie winked.

Bill laughed and slapped him on his back. "It's a deal."


End file.
